When you rent an apartment, it’s typical for the landlord to require a security deposit. It’s often the same rate as a month’s rent, but it can be a different amount.

Landlords often make excuses to try to keep the security deposit when a tenant moves out, but imagine having a landlord try to keep your security deposit when you never even moved in!

That’s exactly what happened in this story. A renter paid the security deposit and first month’s rent but decided he didn’t actually want the apartment and never signed the lease.

He assumed he would just get his money back, but it’s been much harder than he anticipated.

Keep reading for all the details.

AITAH for threatening to sue a landlord and file a licensing complaint after they refused to refund my money?

I applied for an apartment a few weeks ago.

The landlord required me to send the security deposit ($1,475) and the first month’s rent ($1,475) upfront.

I filled out a basic application, but there was absolutely no written language stating any of this money was non-refundable if the deal fell through.

The deal fell through.

They emailed me a draft of the lease, but I decided not to sign it due to the high additional moving costs and personal issues.

I never signed a single contract, never got keys, and never moved in.

When I asked for my money back, the agent completely stonewalled me.

After a delay and text asking when I’d get refunded, they finally refunded the first month’s rent, but they are flat-out refusing to return the $1,475 deposit.

The agent made excuses.

First, the agent claimed we had a “verbal agreement” that it was non-refundable.

Then, she tried to claim she was charging me a daily rate for the days the apartment was “off the market.”

I got tired of the games and sent a firm text stating that if the full balance wasn’t returned by Monday, I would “proceed with my plans to explore all other professional, administrative, and civil avenues.”

The deadline passed and they ghosted me.

But there was an email.

Instead of a refund, the landlord’s husband sent a long, angry email CC’ing a corporate attorney.

They explicitly admitted in the email that **“there was no agreement in writing regarding this deposit,” **but claimed that because I gave them a deadline and said I would “proceed with my plans,” I was making criminal threats against his wife.

They told me they would contact law enforcement if I reached out again.

Here’s how OP plans to proceed.

I am completely ignoring their email and plan to file a formal licensing complaint with the state real estate commission and file a small claims lawsuit using their own email confession as evidence.

They are claiming I am a jerk for “threatening and harassing” a working woman over a business disagreement and involving an attorney.

AITA for refusing to back down and escalating this to the state boards and court?

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They’re just making more excuses to try to scare OP out of trying to get his money back. It’s so sad how so many landlords try anything they can think of to keep the security deposit!

Let’s see how Reddit responded to this story.

This is a good question.

Another person thinks the landlord messed up.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a condo owner who replaced a whole a/c unit just to stop the complaints.

Another person thinks they’ll end up in court.

He should definitely push to get his money back. The landlord is being unreasonable and seems desperate for anything to try to scare OP off from actually suing.